The Christmas season is upon us, bringing a flood of festive specials to our TV screens.
Everyone who celebrates Christmas has their favourite Christmas special, the one they eagerly await a whole year to see onscreen again. The one that says, “This is Christmas.”
However, quite a few of people have a few extra-special favourites that seem to be increasingly overlooked or forgotten by others as the years go by, either overshadowed by those few eternal classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or replaced by newer specials aimed at the next generation.
This is a shame, as it means today’s kids are missing out on some Yuletide gold.
Let’s take a look back at these underrated Christmas specials.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979)
After two solo specials each, Rankin-Bass brought Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman together for a crossover extravaganza in Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July. Rudolph, Frosty, and Frosty’s wife Crystal, team up to help a much-loved local circus from falling into debt. Later, they fend off the efforts of the evil wizard Winterbolt, who is out to steal Frosty’s magic hat so he can bring to life an army of evil snowmen.
With Santa and Jack Frost also getting in on the action, the special has recently been described as the Avengers of Christmas. While it doesn’t have quite the same charm as earlier Rankin-Bass specials, it’s a thrill seeing these Christmas heroes onscreen together.
Casper’s First Christmas (1979)
With the number of festive specials Hanna-Barbera produced in their heyday, a few were always going to get lost in the shuffle. Casper’s First Christmas is, unfortunately, one of them. Christmas Eve is to be the last night Casper and his friend Hairy Scary will spend in the old house they haunt before it gets demolished. Soon, Casper finds himself playing host to Yogi Bear and a host of other Hanna-Barbera stars when they get lost on the way to their usual Christmas celebration.
Casper’s First Christmas usually gets at least one airing during most Christmas seasons. However, this sweet special deserves a little more love.
Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
This animated special stars a Jack Russel named Olive, voiced by Drew Barrymore. Misunderstanding a report from Santa on the radio, Olive sets out for the North Pole, hoping to fill in for the injured Blitzen and save Christmas.
Though it was popular for the first few years after its initial release, Olive, the Other Reindeer, seems to have dropped out of rotation in recent years. Let’s hope it appears on screens again soon.
I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown! (2003)
Considering the iconic status of A Charlie Brown Christmas, any future festive Peanuts specials were always going to have a tough act to follow. I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown! makes a valiant attempt. The special mostly follows Rerun Van Pelt, the younger brother of Linus and Lucy, in his quest to get a new dog of his very own.
There’s a reason A Charlie Brown Christmas is a classic, but I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown! is a fun follow-up, deserving a place on any Christmas TV schedule.
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
In this special, Fozzie Bear and the Muppets ruin his mother’s plans for a Christmas getaway when they arrive on her doorstep unannounced. This one was a full team effort from The Jim Henson Company, with characters from Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock also appearing.
The main thing keeping A Muppet Family Christmas from being more loved is simply that not enough people have seen it in its entirety. Rights to music featured in the special, and now the rights to various characters, have legally restricted it from being re-aired.
A Flintstone Family Christmas (1993)
While excitedly preparing for the first Christmas of their grandchildren, Chip, Roxy, Fred and Wilma meet Stoney, a troubled ‘caveless’ child. Moved by Stoney’s story, Wilma convinces Fred to take Stoney into their home for Christmas.
While not quite as memorable as earlier Flintstones Christmas specials, A Flintstone Family Christmas tells a moving story that still holds up today.
Winnie the Pooh and Christmas, too! (1991)
After accidentally losing his friend’s letter to Santa, Pooh Bear attempts to play Santa himself. When that doesn’t work out, he sets off to deliver the letter personally.
Though well-loved by ‘80s and ‘90s kids who saw it during the early years of its run, the original Winnie the Pooh and Christmas, too! special does not receive quite the same amount of airtime these days, resulting in it being forgotten when it comes to lists of classic specials. Children today are most likely to have seen the edited version used in Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002).
Hey Arnold: Arnold’s Christmas (Season 1, Episode 18)
After drawing Mr. Hyunh in the boarding house’s game of Secret Santa, Arnold spends some time with him to think of a perfect present. He eventually decides on trying to reunite Mr. Hyunh with his daughter, Mai, whom he was separated from during a war.
While not the typical Christmas story, the Hey Arnold Christmas special packs an emotional punch, and deserves a place among the classics.
Rugrats: The Santa Experience (Season 2, Episode 14)
In the lead up to Christmas, Angelica pulls a cruel prank on Phil and Lil. Fearing that she is now in for a lump of coal from Santa, she desperately tries to fix the damage before bedtime on Christmas Eve.
A staple on Nickelodeon throughout the ‘90s, Rugrats: The Santa Experience is good, clean Christmas fun. Unfortunately, it has been aired much less often since Rugrats ended, causing it to slip into the pit of underrated specials. Hopefully, the upcoming reboot of the series could provide a chance to revive it.
Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury (2011)
The citizens of Berk are excited about spending their first Snoggletog with their dragons. These plans seem ruined when most of the dragons leave without explanation, but thankfully, they return on the day of Snoggletog with a special surprise in store.
What keeps Gift of the Night Fury from attaining modern-classic status alongside its Dreamworks’ stable mate Shrek the Halls is likely the fact that its Christmas theme is not immediately obvious from its marketing or DVD covers. Audiences would have to actually watch the special to grasp the connection between Christmas and Snoggletog.
Despite their underrated status, many of these specials are available on DVD or through online streaming services for anyone who wants to relive them.
